


i want to say i need you (but i need nothing)

by hearden



Series: trimberly week 2018 [2]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, F/F, Trimberly Week, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-05-18 21:56:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14861007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearden/pseuds/hearden
Summary: Kim is ghosting not just Trini, but the entire Ranger team, and Trini just wants to know why.(day two of trimberly week)





	i want to say i need you (but i need nothing)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BisexualHeroes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BisexualHeroes/gifts), [ladyofthesun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofthesun/gifts), [necking](https://archiveofourown.org/users/necking/gifts).



> for y’all bc you love angst so much :) :) :)
> 
> IT'S STILL DAY 2 IN CALIFORNIA SO... YA KNOW... it be like that for me all the time
> 
> background ships: billy/tommie, jason/zack
> 
>  **warnings:** mentions of depression, previous self-harm, and [spoiler]

Trini is signed up for an introductory level Philosophy class for her first fall semester at UAG. She’s sharing that same class with all _five_ of her friends, which is going to probably be the worst thing to ever happen to her -- or to the professor, she can’t decide. Either way, she’s never been terrible with critical thinking and all that, but philosophy gives everyone a headache, just some less than others, so the moment Billy gets his hands on a reading list that Dr. Martin prematurely posted on the student portal, Trini gets down to some summer reading.

She’s a thorough reader and tends to take notes very meticulously (even if her handwriting isn’t the best, it’s organized and that’s what matters), so the plan is that she’ll end the summer going into Philosophy not confused as hell. Just to be sure, Trini makes a list of questions she randomly thinks of while reading, separate from her notes, so that she can go back to them as she reads and see if, maybe, she can figure out an answer she’s satisfied with. Tommie, ever the classics nerd, tells her that philosophy is full of questions that have unsatisfying answers, just barely grasping at concepts that exist beyond comprehension.

Their Table™ at Krispy Kreme just collectively groans at that, and Zack thumps his head down on the table.

Trini writes her first question down that night in her notebook. _Can a soul be shared among several people? **_

 

-

 

The summer of 2017 starts out normal. Good. Sure, college is looming in the very, very close distance, but things with Rita and Zedd have been quiet. Maybe a little too quiet, not that Trini is complaining, but maybe even supervillains need a summer break, too. She certainly wouldn’t mind.

Tommie drops a text in their group chat at, like, seven in the godforsaken morning on a _Saturday,_ and Trini just groans as Kim presses her face into Trini’s shoulder.

"Who th’ fuck," Kim mumbles.

Both of their phones buzz on Kim’s bedside table again, and Trini sighs, reaching out to fumble for her phone without dislodging Kim’s head. It’s really, really hard.

She knocks Kim’s phone off of the table instead.

"Shit, sorry."

"‘s carpet," Kim says and snuggles closer.

"You’re drooling on me."

"And?" She yawns into Trini shoulder, and Trini makes a disgusted noise. "I drool on you a lot."

Their phones buzz again, this time Kim’s coming from the floor, and Trini finally snatches her phone up, managing to not entirely change her entire position in bed. It’s her greatest achievement.

She sighs, "It’s Billy and Tommie."

"Ughhhhhhhhh. Of course it is."

**_Power Geeks™_ **

_[TO 7:09 AM] hey guys i know everyone isnt awake yet but billy and i wanna know if u guys wanna go mini golfing later_

_[BC 7:09 AM] maybe around noon?_

_[TO 7:09 AM] or later if jay ever wakes up lmao_

Trini groans, "These fuckin’ idiots wanna go mini golfing."

"Billy’s not an idiot."

"He’s dating one."

"I’ll tell her you said that," Kim says, chuckling.

"I’m not scared of her," Trini scoffs, "I can catch her knives."

Kim finally pulls herself into a sitting position and rubs at her eyes, "You’re the only one who can, so don’t get on her bad side."

Trini puts her phone back on the bedside table then stretches off of the bed to pick up Kim’s from the floor. "Hhhh-- got it." She hands Kim her phone and rolls her eyes when Kim just throws it onto the bed. "Tommie doesn’t have a bad side."

"Did you miss the green glowing eyes and everything? I mean. That was only last Christmas."

Trini laughs, loudly -- a perk of Kim’s parents both being on trips for work for the past week or so. "Yeah, but without all that evil mumbo jumbo, she’s a giant nerd. I still have the video of her crying when Billy gave her that miniature wind-up replica he built of the Dragonzord."

Kim puts her hand to her chest, a little offended. "Uh, excuse you for having no feelings, but _I_ would’ve cried, too, if the cockpit opened up and there was a little piece of paper saying, _Will you go on a date with me?_ Like… Billy _reinvented_ fortune cookie proposals."

"Stop being dramatic." Trini rolls her eyes.

"Mmm." Kim grabs her phone. "I’m gonna tell them, like, one is okay? We won’t end up somewhere busy for lunch, then, and then we can go wreck some hoes at mini golf."

"I love it when you trash talk our closest friends."

"I love it when _you_ trash talk our closest friends," Kim replies.

Trini chuckles as her phone buzzes, but she doesn’t reach for it. Kim tosses hers back on the bed and leans over, pulling Trini into a kiss. "Mmm, morning breath," Trini teases, "My favorite."

"I bet Jason’s is the worst."

"Oh, absolutely. He eats trash, that dumbass."

Kim shakes her head, giggling, "Two dumbasses dating each other and two nerds dating each other. What’s that make us, then?"

Trini leans back against the pillows as Kim climbs on top of her, but she just holds her close as Kim buries her face in her neck. "The best of the best?" she suggests.

"I like the sound of that," Kim murmurs.

"Then you’ll also like the sound of sleeping for four more hours."

"You know me so well, babe."

 

-

  


Here is the problem.

Trini is fairly good at mini golf.

Kim is fairly good at mini golf, too, but keeps getting distracted.

She doesn't want to admit that she's dating a female Zack -- the thought itself is horrifying and Trini wants to bleach her brain the moment she _thinks_ it and looks up to see Zack raising his eyebrows at her as if he _knows_ \-- but Kim and Zack are two peas in a pod. It’s how Trini ends up missing one of her shots that goes right into the little fake lake because Kim laughs at something Tommie says, and the sound by itself distracts Trini _just_ enough. And it’s how Zack keeps trying to correct Jason’s form as if Jason doesn’t already know how to play golf -- _Zack’s_ the one who can’t play for shit.

Trini thinks Billy and Tommie are trying to sabotage them, but she can’t prove it. Billy’s much too sweet to ever do so, but with Tommie as his girlfriend, she’s pretty sure that he’s just using his sweet ol’ smile as a disguise.

They’re all on the whatever-th hole because it feels like there’s a billion with the agonizingly slow rate at which Trini, Kim, Jason, and Zack are all horribly losing when Kim’s phone rings. She squints at the caller ID and her phone is tilted at an angle, but Trini can still see _Mom_ and the contact photo Kim has her mom’s number set to.

"Hold on," Kim says, "I gotta take this."

"I’ll play for you," Zack offers and takes her pink club. Trini huffs in response to that.

Kim puts her phone to her ear and walks away, leaving the indoor mini golf course entirely. Trini can faintly hear her speaking rapidly in Gujarati, fading as she gets further away. She doesn’t really think about it for the rest of the game, but Kim doesn’t end up coming back -- they’re almost finished, anyway, so it’s no big deal.

When the five of them exit the course and return their clubs and balls, Trini finds Kim sitting out in the front of the building where the small cafeteria is. It smells and feels like greasy pizza, worse than AGHS’ cafeteria had, but Trini doesn’t mind it as she sits down at the table Kim has taken to herself.

Kim is scrolling on her Facebook app and doesn’t look up as Trini sits down.

"Hey," Zack says, coming up behind Kim and draping an arm around her shoulders, "Jay and I started winning after you left."

Trini scowls. "Because you were _sabotaging_ me."

Kim doesn’t respond to that and instead locks her phone and clears her throat. "Yeah, sorry, phone call ran long."

Trini squints at her girlfriend. Kim’s makeup looks fresh. Well, fresher. Maybe she’s imagining it, but…

Kim holds her gaze for a second too long, almost confirming her thoughts, then looks away and smiles apologetically at Billy and Tommie. "I know you guys wanted to get donuts after, but there’s, uh, somewhere I gotta be."

"Yeah, sure, no problem," Tommie says, "Everything alright?"

"Maybe," Kim says and gets out of her chair, "I’ll keep you guys posted." She glances at Trini. "Can you--"

"I can get a ride with Tommie," Trini answers and nods before Kim’s even finished asking. She stands and gives Kim a hug that Kim slightly tenses at but relaxes into after a moment. Trini kisses Kim on the cheek and whispers, "Lemme know if you need anything, okay? Love you."

"Love you, too," Kim mumbles.

 

-

 

Trini doesn’t have an appetite at Krispy Kreme afterward. Or, well, she tells herself that she doesn’t so that she doesn’t feel bad, but it’s hard to resist when Jason buys a dozen, two for each of them with their favorite flavors. Trini sullenly stares at the open box -- two strawberry and cremes for Kim and two chocolate iced with sprinkles for her sit untouched. Tommie, who’s working on her second New York cheesecake-filled, nudges Trini in the shoulder.

"You should eat something," Tommie says, softly.

Trini huffs and runs a hand over her face. "I’m just--"

"Anxious," Zack finishes with a mouth full of Oreo-filled, "We know." Jason elbows him.

"I’m worried," Trini sighs, "She didn’t seem like herself."

"Maybe she just needs some time," Billy suggests and wipes at his mouth with a napkin. He misses a spot that Tommie affectionately brushes at with her thumb.

"Stop being disgusting," Zack teases, sticking his tongue out.

Billy rolls his eyes and continues, giving Trini a soft smile, "She’ll come talk to us when she’s ready."

"Yeah. You’re right." Trini nods, already feeling a tiny bit better. Billy always knew what to say.

 

-

 

_If it can be shared among several people, can one part of the soul feel when another is hurting? **_

 

-

 

That night, they head to The Pit for training. During the summer, since things have been quiet, it's been a bit more lax. The last _bad_ thing was Spring Break, and they _did_ get new Zords out of that, so it wasn't a total loss. But it means that Rita and Zedd have been really slacking on trying to destroy the Power Rangers -- save for the occasional attack every now and then and even those have stopped being daily occurrences -- and Trini doesn't know if that's a good or bad thing.

On one hand, they could get too comfortable.

On the other hand, she's already gotten comfortable with how everything is going, even if she didn't mean to.

Kim drops off a text into the group chat, saying that she had dinner with her parents who came home from their respective work trips early and that she'd make up the hours with someone else tomorrow or later in the week. Jason tells her to not worry about and to enjoy her family time.

It's just a little bit, but it eases Trini's anxiety enough for her to not completely get her ass kicked during training, so she's thankful to know that Kim's doing okay. She needs all of her focus, anyway, since she's up against Tommie and Tommie never holds back.

Not that _she_ ever holds back, but they're almost evenly matched by this point, and it's annoying. She's sure Tommie finds it annoying that she's edging up on her, too, but that sounds like a personal problem.

Out of the six of them, she and Tommie practice the most dangerous techniques together since it involves what scares Zack the most: her and knives flying in the air. Like, sure, an axe or a sword can easily chop off someone's arm and an arrow can do some real damage, but there's just something visually poetic about Tommie hurling her dagger straight at Trini's face and her dodging aside at the right moment while simultaneously catching it.

Kim always says it's her favorite training match to watch.

Trini only barely catches Tommie's dagger this time, her hand closing around half of the hilt and half of the blade. She doesn't register the pain as it happens, but after she uses the momentum of her body to whirl around and flick the dagger into the wall, she realizes that there's a cut on her hand.

Tommie realizes it, too, once she goes over and pries her dagger from the wall, subtly wiping it on her jeans. Thankfully, they're black.

"That was sloppy," Tommie says, lowly, draping an arm around Trini's shoulders.

"I'm just not in the mood," she answers then fakes a chuckle in case the guys are listening.

They walk over to join the boys, and Jason takes that as cue that the two girls are done for the night. He gets up and taps Zack on the shoulder to go for a match.

"You okay?" Billy asks, looking up at Trini from where he's sitting on the ground, working on something in his sketchbook.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Trini lies, hiding her cut hand behind her back, "I'm just a little tired, so I think I'm gonna hit the hay early."

"I'll walk you out," Tommie says, leaving Trini's side to press a kiss to Billy's cheek then walking off in the direction of the ship, "Come on."

Trini follows her, sensing a conversation she can't get out of since there's only one way out of The Pit. Typical. Once the ship doors slide open for them, Trini frowns as Tommie walks not in the direction of the exit but down another hallway that leads to the medbay. "That's not the exit," she calls out after Tommie.

"I know. Your hand's bleeding."

"It'll heal."

"It's still _bleeding._ "

Tommie disappears into the medbay then pokes her head out. "Get in here or I'm gonna drag you in."

"Don't you mean… dragon me in?" Trini asks then sighs to herself. Kim would've been really proud of that one.

Tommie grins, "Good one."

"Thanks, I hate myself for it." Trini trudges into the medbay and sits down on one of the floating cots attached to the wall. She holds her hand out, palm up, waiting as Tommie cleans the wound with a clean, wet cloth and wraps a bandage around it.

Tommie gives her a quick glance. "You lost focus for a sec back there. Were you thinking about Kim?"

Trini scowls.

"C'mon, I know you."

"I _know_ you do," she mutters, "Yeah."

"She's fine, Trini."

 

-

 

_[KH 8:23 PM] hey, i didn't mean to send this so late so sorry if you were already getting ready, but could you not come over tonight?_

_[T 8:25 PM] yea sure no prob_

_[T 8:25 PM] u ok?_

_[T 9:13 PM] kim?_

_[KH 9:16 PM] yeah, i'm fine. i'll see you tomorrow? lunch?_

_[T 9:16 PM] yea where_

_[KH 9:17 PM] cane's @ the grove?_

_[T 9:17 PM] k cool_

_[T 9:17 PM] i love u <3 sleep well _

_[KH 9:18 PM] ilu too_

 

-

 

_Do parts of a shared soul know when another is lying? **_

 

-

 

Kim never shows up to their lunch date the next day. In total, Trini waits about three whole hours in The Grove, only half-poking at her box from Cane's. She texts Kim several times and anxiously turns her phone ringer on and off countless times, both dreading and wanting _some_ kind of response, only to get none. She tries wandering around the mall after she finishes her food but loops back around to the Cane's just in case Kim shows up incredibly late and can't find her. She repeats this routine about eleven times before deciding it's useless. Her last unanswered text to Kim was forty-five minutes ago, and it's pointless to try again. She doesn't want to seem clingy if Kim just abruptly had something come up.

Instead, Trini texts Jason.

_[T 3:37 PM] hey don't tell the others abt this but i just wanna know if u can feel anything weird_

_[JS 3:37 PM] weird like?_

_[T 3:37 PM] from one of us_

_[JS 3:37 PM] is this abt kim??_

_[T 3:38 PM] yea she didn't show up to our lunch date today and she hasn't answered my texts all day_

_[T 3:38 PM] she hasn't even said anything in the gc and zack's been posting vines all day_

_[T 3:38 PM] what if smthng's wrong_

_[JS 3:38 PM] did you try calling her?_

_[T 3:38 PM] yea like between the other 50000 text messages i sent her_

_[T 3:38 PM] voicemail_

_[T 3:39 PM] i'm going to her house_

_[JS 3:39 PM] trini :/_

_[T 3:39 PM] don't trini :/ me_

_[JS 3:39 PM] trini :/_

_[JS 3:39 PM] look i don't feel anything_

_[T 3:39 PM] well i don't EITHER and it's worrying me_

_[JS 3:40 PM] wouldn't we feel it if something was wrong w/ her??_

_[T 3:40 PM] idk!!!!!! maybe there's exceptions who knows zordon didn't give us a fucking manual_

_[JS 3:40 PM] do you want me to come w/ you?_

_[T 3:40 PM] are u w/ zack_

_[JS 3:42 PM] are you gonna say no if i say yes?_

_[T 3:42 PM] yea_

_[JS 3:42 PM] then no i'm not w/ zack_

_[T 3:42 PM] no u can't come_

_[JS 3:43 PM] trini :/_

_[T 3:43 PM] i'll keep u posted :/_

 

-

 

The lights are on in the Hart house, and even from their driveway, Trini can see that Kim's blackout curtains are drawn over her window. They're not _heavy_ but a pain to climb through and probably going to end up with her crashing onto the floor and alerting Kim's parents to her sneaking in, so Trini goes for the simple route.

She knocks on the Harts' front door.

Kim's mom, Maddy, answers and smiles at her. "Trini, what a surprise. Kim didn't tell me she was expecting you today."

"I just decided to drop by, actually," Trini says, "She's in her room, right?"

"I think so. She hasn't come out since I got home this morning, so unless she locked herself out of her room again…" Maddy closes the door behind Trini and walks over to the dining table where Trini sees a mess of papers spread out on the table. Her eye catches on a gold wedding band next to a pen; Maddy's eyes follow her gaze, and she chuckles, picking it up and putting it back on.

"I was just washing the dishes," Maddy says, "Wouldn't wanna lose it, right?"

"Of course not," Trini replies, "Uh, I'm gonna go say hi to Kim." She shuffles off toward the stairs, taking them two steps at a time. Kim's door is right in front of the stairs, closed, so Trini knocks lightly on it then when she hears no response, she knocks again a little louder.

"Go away," comes Kim's voice muffled from inside.

"Kim, it's me," she says.

There's a loud thump, and then the door swings open and Kim stares at her, her hair a mess and clearly having not been brushed at all today.

"Wha-- what're you doing here?" Kim asks then squints at her, "Did you talk to my mom?"

"Uh, yeah, she let me in. I just…" Trini swallows, "Where were you today?"

Kim's face hardens, and she takes a step back, motioning for Trini to come inside. Once Trini steps inside of her bedroom, Kim closes the door and flips the lights on, grumbling to herself. It's getting to be a mess already -- a pile of clothes is building on Kim's desk chair, and Trini knows all too well that that's Kim's Depression Chair™ when it's not being used as her desk chair.

"I overslept," Kim mutters, slumping facedown on her bed.

Trini approaches the bed then stops, noticing Kim's phone on the bedside table. If it can even be called a phone anymore. She gingerly picks up the crushed hunk of metal and raises her eyebrows at Kim, even though Kim can't see her with her face buried in her pillow. "What happened to your phone, Kim?"

"I broke it," she answers, slowly.

"On purpose," Trini concludes.

"Yep."

"Why?"

Kim pulls herself into a sitting position and sighs, putting her face into her hands.

"Kim," Trini says, softly, putting Kim's crushed phone back down on the bedside table and kneeling on the floor next to Kim's bed, "What's wrong?" She reaches out, a little hesitant to touch her girlfriend.

When Kim pulls her hands away from her face, her eyes are reddening and puffy, and she wipes away tears with the back of her hand. Trini immediately tenses, her heart rate nervously increasing. "Kim?" she asks again, "Kim, baby, talk to me, please."

"I can't--" Kim whispers then tries again, her voice catching in her throat, "I can't do this anymore."

Her mind immediately goes to two places, both of them horribly bad, and Trini tries to keep her voice steady as she gently puts a hand on Kim's thigh. "What," she clears her throat when her words almost crack, "What can't you do anymore?"

Kim shakes her head. "I don't know," she answers, "All of it."

"Kim--" Trini pauses, realizing that Kim is still in her pajamas, glad that her girlfriend sleeps in a tank top, and gently pulls Kim's arms toward her, not trying to be subtle in making sure that--

Kim pulls her arms away and hugs her stomach, frowning at Trini, hurt in her eyes.

"I was just making sure," Trini whispers, apologetically.

"I _didn't,_ " Kim says through gritted teeth, more tears streaking down her cheeks. She hastily wipes them away with her tank top.

"I know," Trini says, nodding, "I'm sorry for checking." The glimpse she'd had had been enough to know that Kim wasn't relapsing again, but… "Can you please just tell me what's wrong?"

Kim looks at her for a long moment then sighs and leans forward, pressing her forehead against her knees, still hugging her stomach. Trini can see her shoulders shaking and how she rocks back and forth just slightly enough for it to be visible but doesn't dare touch her. Everything about Kim's body language is closed off, and Trini can feel the wall coming up between them. She just hopes she can get a foot in before it goes up all the way.

After some long minutes in which Trini can feel her knees starting to hurt but doesn't want to shift around in case the sound of movement makes Kim completely shut down and kick her out of the room, Kim speaks. "My parents are getting divorced."

She almost automatically says that it's not Kim's fault then quickly shuts that thought down. It's not what Kim wants to hear, she knows. "I…" Trini closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, counting to five. "I'm sorry," she says, slowly, and opens her eyes to see Kim sitting up straight again but not looking at her, face turned, eyes downcast. "I'm here for you, Kim. I-- I know that's such a… a _thing_ to say, but I'm--"

"Yeah," Kim interrupts and looks at Trini, giving her a sad smile, "I know. Thank you."

Trini frowns, a little taken aback at being interrupted. She doesn't say anything, but when Kim uncrosses her arms and holds out her hand, Trini immediately puts her hand in Kim's, easily falling back into their thing, despite the uncomfortable air in the room. Kim brings Trini's hand up to her lips and gently presses kisses across her knuckles, her eyes never leaving Trini's.

Trini smiles a little. "I love you," she says, quietly, "We'll get through this. I promise." Kim's returning smile doesn't reach her eyes, but it doesn't bother Trini. She wouldn't expect an honestly positive response out of Kim at all right now, not with this news looming over her.

"I love you, too," Kim says and rubs her thumb over the back of Trini's hand, "Look, I know we didn't spend any time at all together today, so I'm sorry I'm saying this, but…"

"You want me to leave?" Trini asks, already anticipating it.

Kim nods, apologetically. "I'm just--" she starts, but it's Trini's turn to cut her off.

"No, I understand completely," Trini says, standing up and giving Kim a quick kiss on the forehead, "You should rest."

"I've been sleeping all day," Kim mutters, scoffing.

"Sleep some more."

"Yeah, um." Kim glances at her crushed phone and winces to herself. "Can you tell everyone we can meet… tomorrow at the ship? Like eight? So I can… talk. You know, tell the team what's been going on. Then we can get breakfast after."

"Of course." She gives Kim one last kiss on the cheek then a quick one on the lips and steps back, "Night, Kim."

"Bye, Trini."

 

-

 

_When one part of the soul breaks, do the others break, too? **_

 

-

 

It's so early, but Trini drags herself out of bed, working a crick out of her neck. She gets dressed and walks out the door, telling her parents that she's going out to have breakfast with her friends. Her run to the mine is easy, and she can feel the anxiety on her shoulders from the previous days slipping away. Going through the divorce with Kim isn't going to be easy, of course, but she feels much better just _knowing_ what's going on instead of blindly fumbling around. It's pretty shitty that this is _the_ summer after graduation and this is happening to Kim, but Trini runs through positive absolutes in her mind to make herself feel better. Come August, she, Kim, and Tommie would pack up and move into their three-person dorm at UAG and the boys would do the same, and they'd all go through the terrors of college together.

Her mind is on the Philosophy reading she'd gone through a few more pages of last night when she lands in the cavern, clothes soaking wet, shaking the water out of her hair and beanie. Trini looks up from drying herself out to see the other four Rangers standing at the entrance to the cavern leading to the ship and stops in her tracks. She almost makes a wry remark about being the last one, but considering Kim's not here yet, either, she doesn't.

"What?" she asks, noting Tommie's crossed arms and the grim look on Billy's face. She glances at Jason, but he clearly turns his head away to avoid looking at her, and when she catches Zack's eyes, he frowns and looks away, too. "What's going on?"

"I… I don't think you wanna go to the ship," Tommie says, quietly, her voice uncertain. Trini furrows her brow. She's never heard Tommie be _unsure_ about something before, so the shakiness throws her off-guard.

"Why?" Trini glances at the others, but Jason and Zack still won't look at her. "We're meeting to talk to Kim. She broke her phone last night. That's why I texted you guys." Tommie bites her lower lip and shakes her head, looking up at the water suspended over their heads, instead.

"Um," Billy twiddles his thumbs together and looks oddly apologetic before he speaks, "Kim… already came."

"Okay…" Trini raises her eyebrows, "What're you guys just waiting around for then?"

"No," Jason mutters, and Trini realizes the moment he sniffles and drags the back of his hand across his nose that he's trying hard not to cry, "She _already_ came."

His tone fills her with dread. Trini bolts for the entrance, but Tommie gets there first, all four of them moving to block her from entering the cavern. Tommie holds Trini back, throwing her body in front of her, and Trini shoves her strength into it, struggling.

"You don't wanna go back there--" Tommie grunts as Trini elbows her in the side. She lets go only for a moment, but it's enough for Trini to slip out of her grasp.

"Trust me, I do!" Trini shouts, ducking underneath Billy's arm and boldly shoving Zack into Jason as she runs past them. They call after her, but she's the fastest runner out of all of them. Their footsteps are steady behind her as she runs through the cavern, yelling her name and trying to stop her, but she tunes them out.

"Trini, don't!" Tommie warns as Trini rounds the corner and skids to a stop when she sees the doors of the ship. On the ground in front of the stairwell lays the pink power coin, its glow gone.

 

-

 

_** The answer is yes._

**Author's Note:**

> title from Need Nothing - VERITE
> 
>  **edit:** that ending wasn't entirely clear, she ran away and left the rangers, she didn't die lskfdjahkjf sorry for any confusion
> 
> OR i mean. you can read it as either one. she either ran away or she committed. personally, as the author, she ran away and cut her ranger bond.


End file.
